A couple of years ago, a Chinese lady I had only met once, gave me one of the most valuable lessons I ever attained. Her incredible life story presented in a humble while wise way in her book “Bend not Break” has from then on directed my steps in life. Ping Fu, the writer of the book, is the greatest, most vivid proof of how resilience can help one person survive … and then thrive. The lanes she has followed are full of hard work, patience, persistence and most of all “a dream kept alive” albeit extremely harsh circumstances. She has failed a lot of times; she has been unfairly attacked; she has been stolen the outcome of her efforts; she has been hurt and tortured and harassed. She has bent many times but she managed not to break. She did not give up. Not even for a moment did she think of abandoning her dream.
In addition to this, I recently heard a top coach, Hendre Coetzee, sustaining that “resilience is rising to the occasion, rising to any opportunity coming”. How true! Resilience gives the openness to distinguish opportunities among issues and the strength to transform difficulties into chances of luck!
Every day we receive dozens of hints, suggestions, indications to “be resilient, be resilient”. What exactly is this? A special skill we need to develop? A personal characteristic to obtain or unveil? A panacea to solve all our problems? I humbly believe it’s just an ATTITUDE.
And how does a stressful professional like you or me become resilient? Eating our nails instead of screaming? Smiling instead of crying out? Exercising empathy instead of shutting the door on the other person’s face? Pretending the feelings we do not have? Well, I think we just need to practice heaving up every time we fall down.
Healthy examples around us indicate that resilience is a solid path to success. A lesson daily taught and daily given. THE way to co-exist. THE method to survive. THE virtue toward our personal accomplishment. Resilience is THE “joker” in the cards we’re holding in our hands. No matter how clever we are, no matter how capable we can be, no matter what connections we’ve got, none of these elements will ever give us the key to a distinctive life and career.
Tolerance, on the other hand, is the certain approach to never let you be in the driver’s seat. To make your life a mediocre one. To fill your heart with misery and hatred.
Life is a game. If we make resilience OUR name of the game, we will fearlessly enjoy a fulfilling present and a bright future.
We only need to avoid one thing: Never confuse resilience with tolerance! Because…
1. Resilience is a sign of inner strength…
Tolerance is a sign of fear and lack of confidence…
2. Resilience is a magnet attracting positive action & people…
Tolerance is a magnet attracting evil & awkwardness…
3. Resilience is a step forward…
Tolerance is a setback…
4. Resilience is “I can do more”…
Tolerance is “It’s enough, isn’t it?”…
5. Resilience is for people going the tough way…
Tolerance is for easy going people…
6. Resilience is a non-stop battle…
Tolerance is an unconditional surrender…
7. Resilience is for those who dream big…
Tolerance is for those who sleep before going to bed…
8. Resilience is awareness for who I want to be…
Tolerance is hypocrisy for who I am…
9. Resilience is compassion…
Tolerance is selfishness…
10. Resilience is to take what you deserve in life…
Tolerance is to give ground unquestionably…
As long as your life aspirations are better reflected by the R (resilience) part interpretation rather than the T (tolerance) one, you have valid reasons to believe that you are someone special! Enjoy that and let people around you leverage it, too!
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